Do You Remember?
by dizappearingirl
Summary: For those who lived on the 'outside' of the Sohma estate, the 'inside' was a tantalizing mystery just waiting to be solved. When a group of 'outside' children stumble upon the answer, who will pay for the mistake? Who will remember?


**Dizgirl: **What's this? Dizgirl is posting something that is not Danny Phantom?! Seriously?!?! Yes. Seriously. Enjoy the random break away from my usual obsession!

Anyways, this is a one-shot fic I wrote for Fruits Basket a looooooooong time ago, right around the time the 15th book/manga came out in the United States (the idea goes back even farther than that). But, I was highly insecure about this. I just didn't know how it would be taken. Finally, with the help of my lovely friend Allidragon, I have the courage to post it and say, READ THIS! Enjoy and love it! (and never forget to review! ^_~)

This takes place when Yuki (and crew) was seven years old or so. Not much else to say but that. Oh, well disclaimers are important (you can find mine in my profile!)

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**Do You Remember?**

Namir's mother, Aoko, often said that she was given two miracles in her life. The first was her American husband, Rick. He was always so strong and fun to be around, and she fell in love with him quicker than she ever thought was possible. The fact that he loved her back made the already wonderful relationship between the two of them even better. For a long time it was difficult to see him since he only came to Japan every other month on business trips and she was a busy young woman herself, but love blossomed despite these setbacks.

Much sooner than their family and friends had anticipated, they were engaged and were married. This is where the miracle part came in her mother would always say. Aoko was a Sohma and though she lived on the 'outside' she was still required to receive the head of the house's permission to wed. Luckily—**miraculously **she reminded Namir with a wink—they received it and Aoko and Rick were married.

Several years later, after Rick had moved to Japan and had found a new job, her second miracle happened. Aoko gave birth to a small girl, who the ecstatic parents named Namir. "It's Arabic," her father would announce proudly to anyone who would listen. "It means 'swift cat', like a leopard or a panther". Most of the Sohma family (and Rick's for that matter) were not sure what to make of the enthusiastic couple and their daughter, but they accepted the situation with only a slight air of apprehension.

The years passed and Namir grew into a young girl with mischievous blue-green eyes. She learned both English and Japanese, relishing the mix of the two cultures within her home and the love that her parents had for her. Namir knew that she was lucky to have such caring parents for many of the other Sohma children were not so blessed—especially those that lived on the 'inside'.

Momiji was one of them and also was Hatsuharu. They lived 'inside' and she knew that Momiji didn't have a mom. She never learned about Haru's parents but she could tell that he didn't feel as loved as she did. This made her very sad and she had asked her mother about it several times. Aoko would shake her head and say, "They just aren't as lucky as you are." But this only confused her more. They were the same age as her, they went to the same elementary school as her, and they were both Sohmas. The only difference was that they lived 'inside'. What made the 'inside' so special? She didn't find her answer until first grade.

Though rather quiet, Namir became good friends with many of the Sohma children who went to the local elementary school, including Momiji and Hatsuharu. She enjoyed the company of her relatives and never searched for friends outside of the family's safe confines, though she was often thrown together with them when it came to group activities at school.

One day, she ended up walking home next to one of her cousins who went to another elementary school nearby. He spoke animatedly about a boy he had met that day at school. His name was Yuki and he was a Sohma who lived 'inside'. Namir was instantly curious about the boy and asked if there was a chance of meeting him. In answer, her cousin invited her to a game they would be playing the next afternoon.

The next day, she tagged along with the group of kids from the other school, some of which she recognized as fellow Sohmas. Others were complete strangers, but were friendly enough. Her cousin came up, towing a small boy with purple-gray hair and amethyst eyes to match.

"This is Yuki-kun," her cousin greeted her enthusiastically. She bowed slightly, a tentative smile on her lips. He stared at her, obviously unsure of what to do.

Gaining confidence she replied, "My name is Namir." He looked a little confused by the name and glanced up questioningly at her cousin. Her smile widened.

"Don't worry. Most people have problems with my name 'cause it's Arabic. My dad travels all over the world and he heard that name once and really liked it. You can just call me Nami-chan. That's easier," she explained in a rush, trying to ease his discomfort.

"Oh," he said, looking relieved. "It is very nice to meet you Nami-chan." And he smiled back. It was a very kind smile that went nicely with his soft-colored hair. Namir instantly liked him.

"Let's go play!"

A week passed by and the group of children, including Namir and Yuki, played often together. She loved every minute of it as they played games, climbed trees, and explored. Quickly the third became their favorite and a new idea was thrown out. All of the Sohma children had talked about the mysterious 'inside' and it seemed to be the ideal place to explore, especially now that they had Yuki as their guide. Plans were made for an afternoon later that week. Namir couldn't wait. It was the biggest mystery for those that lived on the 'outside'. What would they find?

Getting past the wall that surrounded the 'inside' was a lot easier than Namir had expected. Apparently there was a secret entrance—a break in the wall—which other 'outside' Sohmas had used before. Namir followed the group of Sohma children sneaking their way through the thick, green grass that grew in between the various buildings. Whispered comments and hushed giggles floated around the group, the excitement almost tangible in the cool air.

Namir smiled at Yuki as he glanced around the group, looking slightly amazed at the children surrounding him. She had seen him do that often during the times they had played together. It was like he was always surprised to see others with him. She found that kind of odd, but he also seemed happy so she brushed the thought away.

The group reached the garden and quickly explored the area. There were several large trees planted throughout it, spreading deep pools of shade across the grass. Other plants grew everywhere else and she could hear the familiar sound of a stream or fountain nearby. It was beautiful and many of the children commented on how nice it would be to live there. Namir noticed that Yuki frowned slightly when he heard that, but it quickly disappeared when her cousin proposed that the group play tag.

Soon they were running around the garden, teasing and giggling at each other when someone was caught. Screams echoed off the surrounding buildings and the estate didn't feel so mysterious or empty anymore. Namir was surprised that no one came out to scold them for their frivolity. She knew that there were plenty of people who lived on the 'inside' because she always saw people coming in and out through the front gate throughout the day. But the place was deserted, which made it all the more magical.

After a while, Namir wandered away from the group and sat against one of the large trees. She brushed a few strands of raven hair away from her face, feeling the heat radiating off of her forehead. It was a cool day but running around had quickly taken away the chill and now she was hot. She shed her jacket and tied it around her waist, looking up at the swaying branches of the tree. Up there looked even cooler than on the ground and she always loved to climb trees…

Soon, Namir was up in the sturdy branches of the tree, relishing the breeze and the unobstructed view she had of the garden where the rest of her friends continued to play their game of tag. One of the girls that Namir did not know except by face was running after anyone that came near her yelling, "I'm gonna get you!" Namir giggled as the girl spied Yuki running towards the tree that she rested in, searching for cover. The girl darted after him, and just as he ran past the tree she managed to tackle him to the ground. There was a loud "poof!" and silence fell over the garden.

Yuki was gone. In his place was a pile of clothes and what looked like a small rat or mouse. There were a series of gasps as the children slowly comprehended the scene before them.

"Eee! It's a rat!"

"A **rat**?"

"How did he **do** that?"

"Ew gross!"

Some of the children moved closer to the pile of clothes, curious and confused. Others left in a flurry of screams, ready to tell their parents (and anyone else who would listen) what they had just seen. Namir leaned forward, blinking several times to clear her vision. Yuki turned into a rat? She looked down at the little creature that was currently trembling as it watched the kids surrounding it. **How? **

"What are you children doing here?" The group of whispering kids jumped and turned to the man walking across the garden towards them. "You shouldn't be—" He stopped abruptly as he caught sight of the small rat and pile of clothes. His annoyed expression quickly changed to one of fear and uncertainty.

"How…what hap—come with me, all of you." Namir's friends exchanged wary glances and followed the man until they were out of sight. She looked down again at the rat—Yuki?—trying to make sense of this unusual turn of events. How did he do it? **Why **could he do it? Was he the only one? Why wasn't the man as surprised as he should be? Why…?

Questions spun around her head, making her feel slightly light-headed. Namir leaned back in the tree and covered her eyes with her hands. Somehow, Yuki had turned into that rat down there. It's not like he could have switched places with it or anything like that! Besides, his clothes were right there. No, he was definitely a rat—well he could change into one anyways. Though strange and unnatural, it was the truth. She could accept that. But, how did he change and why now?

Frantic voices and the rustling of clothing interrupted Namir's thoughts as a group of people came out from between two buildings and headed straight for her tree. They continued talking animatedly, some of them practically yelling, while they hurried across the garden. The group surrounded Yuki and she could hear them asking him about his health and what had happened. He must have answered—how?—because they started chattering about the head of the family, the "others", and something about a man called Hatori. Was he the man who had found the children or was he someone else? He wasn't the head of the family—she knew who **that **was.

The crowd disappeared with Yuki in tow, leaving the garden as empty and foreboding as it had first appeared when the children had arrived there earlier that afternoon. Namir waited a few minutes, wondering if it was safe to leave without getting caught. Though she didn't think anything **bad **would happen if they found her, she still wasn't supposed to be there.

She slowly slid down through the branches of the tree until she landed unsteadily on the ground. No one jumped out at her and she couldn't hear anything except the wind moving through the houses. Hastily Namir retraced their steps, coming to the break in the wall much quicker than it had originally taken the group of children. As soon as she was free from the wall, she ran with all her might as if trying to out run the secret she had stumbled upon. She may have decided to accept what she saw as true but that didn't mean it didn't scare her! He had turned into a **rat**, which was both amazing and terrifying!

Namir's breaths came in sharp gasps and as she stumbled into her home, only a few streets away from the Sohma estate. Kicking off her shoes, she noticed that her parents weren't home. It was probably for the best. If they had been home she would most likely spill the whole story right there and she had a feeling that that wasn't the best thing to do. Feeling slightly queasy from running and from the emotions churning inside of her, Namir entered her room and collapsed on her bed. She pulled her blanket over her face, blocking the sunlight coming in from the window to her left. This helped a little and she turned back to tackling her swirling emotions and thoughts.

How do you handle the fact that one of your family members could turn into a rat? What do you say to that person…or to anyone else? Could she keep this a secret? Yes, but did she want to? Her teal eyes snapped open as another thought suddenly occurred to her. What about Yuki? Was he okay? Those adults were upset and worried when they came and took him away. What if he was stuck like that?! A rat forever? She closed her eyes again. No. That couldn't be. All the adults were anxious, but they didn't seem **surprised**. They took the news calmly, much better than she or any of the other children had.

Namir gasped and sat up, pulling the heavy blanket off her head. That was the secret, wasn't it? **That** was what she had been looking for since she started noticing the differences between Momiji, Hatsuharu and herself. The reason the 'inside' was so special. Namir had always known that the 'inside' was different, but now she knew part of the reason why: everyone 'inside' knew about Yuki's secret! Maybe others could also change into rats—or even other animals! Maybe that was why Momiji and Hatsuharu's families were different from her own. It would certainly explain why those on the 'inside' were so secretive. A secret like that…. She could only begin to guess what else was unusual about the place. If someone could turn into a rat just because someone else ran into him, what other strange things could happen? What other secrets did her family hide?

"I'm home!" Namir turned towards her open door as her mother peeked in. She smiled as warmly as she could, temporarily pushing her complicated thoughts away.

"Welcome home mother," she replied. Despite her cheerful smile Aoko seemed to sense Namir's inner turmoil. Her brown eyes narrowed in worry.

"Is everything all right?" she asked, watching her daughter carefully. Namir opened her mouth to answer, but nothing came out. What could she say? Should she tell her mother everything? What if her suspicions were true and only those who lived on the 'inside' were supposed to know about Yuki? What would happen if they found out she knew?

"Yes, I just feel a little…sick," she finally said, feeling guilty for lying. But she couldn't tell anyone yet. Not yet. Aoko frowned slightly but let the matter drop.

"Then get some rest."

Namir went back to school the next day, full of uncertainty but also determination. She had decided that being scared about Yuki's secret was a waste of energy, both emotional and physical. She didn't need to be afraid of him. In fact, he probably would need her to be his friend, since the rest of the Sohma children who had seen him might not be so accepting. That was her main concern as she waited for a chance to talk to her relatives. How did they feel about learning his secret?

Unfortunately when she tried looking for those who were with her that day Namir couldn't find a single one of them. They were all absent. What had happened? Troubled, she waited until school was over, hoping to find her cousin on her way home, but that proved fruitless as well. Somehow they had all disappeared. It was two days until some of them came back and when they did, she almost wished they hadn't.

None of them remembered a thing. She asked them questions about their parents, the strange people from the 'inside', Yuki, and what they thought about the whole event. Each of them turned to her with blank stares and uneasy smiles. "What are you talking about?" they asked as one by one they turned away to rejoin their other friends. Why did they all suddenly forget? Were they pretending? Why pretend with her when she already knew the secret? What had happened to all of them? Namir left for home that day on her own, her cousin already done denying any friendship with a boy named Yuki.

Had it been a dream? Had she come home that day and fallen asleep, dreaming of the 'inside', Yuki, and a rat? No, how could she imagine a whole week of playing with this small Sohma boy? How could she dream of a whole week of playing with him only to have him disappear before her eyes? But what could she do to prove herself right?

A solution to her dilemma came that night as her mother reminded her that there wasn't school the next day. No school meant a whole day to go play with friends or explore a nearby park…or visit the 'inside' again. **That's** what she would do. That would answer her questions. If there was a break in the wall, if she found a boy with purple-gray hair named Yuki, if he remembered their adventures of the past week, then it must be true. It had to be true and she was going to prove it.

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"Hello." Yuki looked up in surprise and caught sight of a young girl with wavy black hair watching him from outside his room's window. She smiled softly as their gazes met, her teal eyes filled with uncertainty. He stared at the girl. She looked familiar.

"Hello," he replied, his voice slightly raspy from an asthma attack he had had that morning. Her smile grew and she walked closer to the open window. Yuki continued to stare at the girl with slight confusion. Who was she and why was she here? He racked his brain, trying to match her face with one from his memory. The girl didn't seem to mind his scrutiny and waited patiently, the smile still lingering on her lips.

Then, he suddenly remembered and gasped, "Nami-chan!" The girl grinned, nodding vigorously.

"Yep! I hoped you would remember," she answered, obviously pleased. How could he forget? She was one of the Sohma children he had been playing with that fateful day; the day when he had been careless and his secret had been revealed. But how did she know him? All of his friend's memories had been repressed by Hatori …right?

"I didn't know what to do today," Nami started casually, glancing up at the blue sky above her. "There isn't any school today so I decided I would sneak in here and find someone that could…play." She looked back at him, clasping her hands behind her back.

"And I found you, Yuki-kun." So she remembered his name, and she obviously knew who he was, unlike all of the other children he had played with that day. But how? And did she know about his secret? Some desperate part of him wanted her to, but another part recoiled at the idea that someone else out there knew what he was and could possibly hate him because of it. He had to know.

"You remember me?" He asked, stifling a cough. Nami looked at him, her eyes filled with an unreadable emotion, and then a playful smile overtook her face.

"Of course I do, Yuki-kun. Why wouldn't I?" She cocked her head to the side, a curtain of black hair swishing silently behind her. She gave him a piercing look that was hard to match. Yuki shook his head in answer and glanced back into the darkened room he sat in. An awkward silence filled the space between them and he feared she would leave before he could find out how much she knew. But, before he could figure out how to ask her, Nami spoke up.

"You remember me too?" Yuki met her teal gaze with his own purple one and nodded. The grin was back on her face and he thought he saw relief hidden in it as well.

"That's good…" The silence returned, punctured by another cough from Yuki. To his relief, Nami didn't look ready to leave yet. Instead she moved closer until she was just outside the window. Returning his thoughts to his original concern, he finally came up with a question he hoped would lead their conversation to an answer.

"Do you remember playing 'inside' last week?" he asked, not daring to hope. Nami's eyes glowed with happiness and she smiled fondly.

"Yes…that was very fun," she replied dreamily. Yuki's eyes widened in surprise. So Hatori **hadn't **suppressed her memories? Had she seen Yuki and still remembered it? Or had she left before he had collided with that other girl? He didn't recall if Nami was there when it happened; she was always so quiet. In fact, this was the longest conversation he had ever had with her—besides when they first met. A small hope growing in his chest, he thought of another question.

"Did you—do you remember anything…strange?" Yuki thought of what Akito had said about normal people. "Or anything scary?" He added fearfully. Nami looked at him solemnly, all playfulness gone, as if she recognized how serious he was.

"Strange or scary? While we were playing?" she inquired tentatively. He nodded as a thoughtful expression swept over Nami's face and her gaze wandered around. After a full minute of silence, she looked back at him with a glint of mischievousness in her eye. She crouched down until only the top of her head and eyes were visible. She hung onto the window sill with both hands.

"I did see something **strange**," she began secretively. "Yes, very strange…" Nami nodded as if agreeing with herself. Yuki leaned closer to her, unsure of what that meant. Her eyes widened and she locked gazes with him, as if trying to tell him something else, but that 'something' eluded him.

"But," she continued with a sigh, slowly standing up, "I cannot tell you." Nami raised a single finger to her lips, her eyes dancing between humor and earnestness. "It's a secret…. You know about secrets, right?" Yuki nodded. Yes, he knew about secrets. Every Sohma knew about secrets…and lies, and fears.

Nami jumped back abruptly, spinning around in circles until she collapsed a few feet from the window. Yuki leaned forward to watch her as she giggled happily, bringing one hand to his mouth to cover up another cough. She looked back up at him with her feet splayed out in front of her.

"So, do you want to play?" He looked back into the empty room, at the door that was sure to open soon with someone ready to check-in on him…or it could be Akito. He shivered slightly, shaking his head as he turned to face Nami again.

"I can't go outside," he replied quietly. The girl cocked her head to the side again, her blue-green eyes watching him curiously.

"Can I come inside?" she questioned. Again, Yuki shook his head.

"No one is allowed in here except Akito or one of those helpers…" Nami's eyes widened with surprise and she let out a soft gasp.

"Akito-san? The head of the Sohma house?" She asked, standing up quickly.

"Yes," he answered, fear creeping into his voice. Sometimes being with Akito wasn't so bad, but other times…when he lost his temper…. Yuki shivered again.

"Wow...! That must be very…" she paused, "…interesting." She looked up into the sky again as she slowly twirled around. Yuki remained silent, unsure of how to respond. Nami stopped, giving him another serious (and slightly unnerving) look like she had earlier. "You don't think so…" she whispered almost too quietly for him to hear.

Then, she suddenly smiled and did a cartwheel in the thick grass, calling out to him, "So, if you can't come out and I can't come in, I guess we'll just have to play through the window!" Yuki wrinkled his forehead in puzzlement. This girl was very confusing—and abrupt!

"How?" he finally asked.

"Well, I'm sure we can come up with some kind of—"

"—Nami-chan! What are you doing out here?" The girl whirled around in surprise, her smile disappearing from her face. One of the many Sohmas who lived 'inside' appeared to her right, frowning severely. "Didn't Aoko-san tell you to never come 'inside'?" Namir opened her mouth, ready to protest.

"Yes, but I wanted to play!" she responded swiftly. The man grabbed her by the arm and started to drag her back to where he came from.

"'Inside' is not a place to **play**," he replied coldly, turning towards Yuki. "I'm sorry for the disturbance." He bowed and then pulled Nami away. Before she disappeared from sight, she glanced back at him, sending him another probing look before grinning playfully.

Yuki watched her leave, feeling the loneliness that had temporarily vanished with Nami's presence return in full force. He leaned back in the chair he was sitting in and closed his amethyst eyes, trying to puzzle out the rather confusing thoughts swirling around in his head.

He hadn't received a clear answer from her about whether she knew his secret or not. Some part of him felt she didn't. How else had she escaped Hatori's frightening skill? Another part of him—the part that tried to hope—believed that she knew and had somehow kept her memories. Somehow she continued to remember, and she didn't seem sickened by him at all. How? And why? He didn't know and had the feeling he probably never would.

That irritated him slightly: not knowing, not understanding what she meant. But, this wasn't the first time he had been confused by a person's behavior. That happened everyday with Akito. It was one of the many reasons why Akito terrified him; he was so unpredictable. Nami was too for that matter. But it was…different. **She** was different.

And she might know his secret—even though he didn't know how or why. Yuki opened his eyes and turned his head to look out the window at the trees swaying in the breeze, much like they had that one afternoon the week before. Slowly he realized that her possibly knowing about him was actually okay. Because in the end that meant that at least someone else remembered.


End file.
